Poems of Appreciation

“Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words.”

- Robert Frost

I was cleaning the bathroom this morning, when I happened to check on my daughter, who was busy writing in the dining room. I peeked over and saw “A Pome for Shaggy”, which didn’t surprise me. At school in Writing Workshop, she’d already written several stories about our cat. I went back to scrubbing the toilet.

Periodically, she’d dash across house, paper in hand. When she was done, there was a paper for each family member on our pillows and on the cat’s snuggle blanket “bed”. I went from place to place and read each poem, which she gave me permission to share. I’ve done so, in order with all misspellings and confusion included:

A Pome for Shaggy

Ah Shaggy I Love

Your glitring

eyes. I Love

The when someone

Is sad you try

to cher them up. I Loved when

tock care of the

giny pigs you licked one over.

Love (Daughter’s name)

A Pome for (Husband’s name)

I love I way

Yous to Prat my har.

I Love your

Silly nis and you

Joks. I ice skateig and

Bicking with you. Love (Daughter’s name)

xoxoxoxo

xoxoxo

A Pome for Tharesa

I Love when I

have bad drems you

give me nightmer

bear. I am sow

locky to have a mom

like you. xoxox

xo Love (Daughter’s name) xo

xoxoxoxo

Then she saved the last poem for the one she idolizes:

A Pome for (Brother’s name)

I love your funnyns.

I love when play

with me. I love

when you start

to be silly when

we play. When

we made that

apple dish. Love (Daughter’s name)

xoxoxoxoxo

I loved that she had this burst of spontaneous appreciation. Did she know how much I appreciated her? I decided to write a quick poem because, shouldn’t EVERY family member have one? Warning: she’s a better poet than me.

A Poem for (Daughter’s name)

I love your enthusiasm

Which spreads to all of us.

And your quiet

And not so quiet

Determination.

Thank you for appreciating

Kindnesses big and small.

I’ll carry your spirit

With me always.

I learn from my children every day. Without her, how would I remember to stop once in a while and remember what’s and who’s important? Who would remind me never to say I can’t do something? She leads by example.

And who doesn’t want to go over to their pillow and read why someone loves them? I’m lucky to have a daughter like her.